Mounting religious extremism in the country is making Malaysian youths susceptible to IS recruitment, something our neighbours have noticed too.
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia is gaining international attention and for all the wrong reasons once again.
After the US’ nabbing of a Malaysian in Las Vegas for alleged online gambling and Australia’s harbouring of a convicted killer facing a death sentence back home, the New Delhi Times has now made a keen observation that Malaysia is a hotbed for Islamic State (IS) recruitment due to the mounting religious extremism in the country.
In a recent commentary entitled “The Politics of ISIS in Malaysia”, the paper fingered Ahmad Tarmimi Maliki, the first Malaysian suicide bomber in Iraq, who was bestowed the title “martyr” in IS’ official website.
The paper attributed IS’ success in using Facebook and YouTube in recruiting Malaysians, numbering 50 or more so far, simply because Malaysia was politically vulnerable “as many of the political parties … themselves have radical leanings.”
It cited Jamaah Islamiah and Kumpulan Mujahidin Malaysia among others, adding that Ahmad Tarmimi himself was a member of the “Malaysian Islamic Party”.
The paper also said that Umno, long known for pushing for “business interests for Muslims in the country,” was now facing demands for an increased role of Islam in society with the implementation of Syariah law and hudud, something its almost 40 per cent of non-Muslim citizens strongly opposed.
“The growing chorus for a stricter Syariah law and more Muslim dominated politics and policies in Malaysia is giving room for the growing radical Islamic influence through mosques and other organisations which in turn is having an adverse impact on the youth of the nation in Malaysia,” the paper said.
Despite acknowledging that Malaysia had fared better than its “volatile” neighbours Thailand and Indonesia, the paper noted all the same, “This has been done by appeasing the Muslims conservatives. Malaysia has a history of Muslim-dominated parties and pro-Muslim policies influencing politics in the country.”
The paper also noted that religious extremism aside, Malaysia had other “security issues” such as the Lahad Datu incident in 2013, in which rebel forces gained entry into the country with relative ease.
Warning that “security cracks in the infrastructure may be responsible for illegal weapons reaching terrorists in Asia,” the paper said Malaysia must draw the line at IS and pay special attention to Sabah and Sarawak, described as a “hub for other illegal activities and infiltration of radical elements”.
Adequate employment of youth was also another issue the government needed to tackle as this group had a “lesser risk towards extremism than unemployed youth.”
Describing Malaysia as a “lynchpin” for other south-east-Asian countries, the paper warned of IS’ intent of establishing a South-east-Asian Caliphate, thereby putting Malaysia in an even tighter spot when it came to combatting the influence of IS among its own youth.
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